Sticking Around After the Movie: 12 Notable Post-Credit Sequences

The 3rd Swing, the Accounting Assistant and the Lead Greensman couldn’t be happier for the resurgence of the after credits stinger. Finally, rightful dues can be paid!

Thanks in part to the continuing expansion of the Marvel Movie Universe, tagging on one more scene after the final spate of legalese climbs up the screen is becoming common practice. There are few better ways to rouse a crowd then zing ’em with one more late-game joke or build early anticipation for a possible sequel with a teaser scene. Plus, you make them sit through all the “Thank Yous.” Everyone wins!

The post-credit is a relatively new invention – most films weren’t obligated to list the crew members’ names until the ’70s – but in a short amount of time, filmmakers have already proved that the creative possibilities of a last-minute tag are endless.

Check out a few of the best post-credit scenes from the past thirty years. All the clips are fast-forwarded to the good parts:

The Great Muppet Caper (1981)

1979’s The Muppet Movie is known as one of the first films to keep the laughs coming until the end of the titles, but The Great Muppet Caper may be the first with an actual break in action to indicate that it’s okay to leave the theater…or is it!? For those audience members that did leave, they missed an opportunity for a group picture taken by Gonzo, an ace photographer whose work stands alongside greats like Arbus and Leibovitz. Or so I’ve been told.

Young Sherlock Holmes (1985)

Spoiler Alert (for a movie that came out 25 years ago).

The Barry Levinson-directed, Spielberg-produced mystery movie delved into the origin story of the famous detective and defied expectations by pitting Sherlock against someone other than his infamous nemesis Moriarty. But here’s the twist: after the credits, the thought-dead big bad Rathe aka Eh-Tar aka scowling British guy reveals himself through a signature to be the iconic evil Professor.

In the land of Mordor, in the fires of Mt. Doom, Matt Patches forged in secret, a master ring, to control all others. Into this ring he poured all his cruelty, his malice and his will to dominate all life. Unfortunately, that plan failed...so he became a writer. Find a collection of his work at his stronghold MattPatches.com or follow him on Twitter @misterpatches.

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